Full Face Transplant

Richard Lee Norris of Hillsville, Va., was taken at his prom (left). In 1997, Norris lost his part of his face in a gun accident. On March 19 and 20, 2012, he underwent a 36-hour operation where a donated face was transplanted onto his own. Doctors at the University of Maryland, where the transplant was done, called it the most extensive full face transplant to date. (University of Maryland/HANDOUT/QMI AGENCY)

The University of Maryland announced Tuesday it completed the most extensive face transplant to date -- including upper and lower jaws, teeth, tongue and facial tissue -- in a 36-hour operation earlier this month.

The patient was 37-year-old Richard Lee Norris of Hillsville, Va., who was injured in a gun accident in 1997. He lost his lips and nose, and had limited use of his mouth. In the 15 years since the accident, he has undergone multiple surgeries.
The doctors said this is the first time in the world a full-face transplant was performed by a team of plastic and reconstructive surgeons with specialized training and expertise in craniofacial surgery and reconstructive microsurgery.
"Our goal is to restore function as well as have esthetically pleasing results," Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez said in a release about the surgery.

The surgery was completed March 19 and 20 and involved a team of physicians and more than 150 nurses and professional staff.
The university said the family of the anonymous donor donated his face and other organs, which saved five lives.